NEW DELHI: The CAG has rapped Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for failing to develop jam-resistant and secure radio sets required by Indian Air Force and thus rendering its entire expenditure of Rs 116 crore unfruitful.

Tabling its report on Defence Services in Parliament yesterday, the CAG noted the performance of radio sets developed by HAL for IAF was far below its requirement, which led to aborted mission, potentially unsafe situation in the air and low availability of aircraft.

"Audit observed that performance and reliability of newly delivered sets was far below IAF's requirement. Contract specifications in area of frequency range, speech secrecy and anti-jamming, considered vital for flight safety of combat fleet, have not been met," the report said.

Pointing out impact of these equipment, the CAG said, "This has led to aborted missions, potentially unsafe situation in air and low aircraft availability. The Electronic Counter Counter Measure (ECCM) modes have not been proved to be satisfactory on any aircraft."

On the expenditure incurred to develop these sets, the report observed, "Even after spending Rs 116 crore and a considerable period of time, the INCOM (communication) equipment developed could not meet IAF's requirement of jam-resistant and secure radio sets, rendering the entire expenditure unfruitful."

In March 1993, the Defence Ministry had sanctioned a project for designing and developing two sets of airborne and ground-based radio and telephone sets for the three Services at a total cost of Rs 2.62 crore.

"HAL was to offer airborne sets to IAF for flight trials by June 1994 and ground-based sets for trial by March 1995. The INCOM airborne sets were planned for equipping different types of aircraft with aim of indigenisation, uniformity and inter changeability of sets," the audit report said.

Why this radios incorporating critical technology will work? No company shares the algorithms and secure communication codes used in this type of Radio. They are only interested in selling their radios and not their technology!!! It takes 22 days for an egg to hatch... The designers might have left during the s/w boom in the last decade depriving HAL of talented and experienced manpower,which is nearly impossible to replace . Unlike DRDO ,HAL it appears never gives importance to academics and doctorates in the field of signal processing in communication and radar domains. HAL had some doctorates in this area in the eighties only. So HAL may be compelled to supply half cooked products with long design cycle times with out adequate field trials. no text book gives the techniques,the technology and algos needed to develop such Radios,it has to be developed from scratch.so CAG should suggest a method to resolve such issues by forming technical committees to look in to rectification of problems instead of just blaming!!!! If a police commissioner issues statements in the press that thefts are taking place, will it solve the problem?. He has to catch the burglars. it seems No student from IITs with electronics and signal processing background joins HAL and they go mostly either abroad ,join DRDO or MNC. So some body with a vision like Dr.Kalam ,Bhabha and Sarabhai sahab are needed at the helms !!! Thales,Tadiran, Harris, Rockwell collins, whether they will give the technolgy? If you buy a secure radio from an outsider ,then what is so secure about it,with type of kill switch tech employed in them?

Armand!! its like trying to build skyscraper without a proper foundation. Thales,Tadiran,Collins are in this business since 1960 and 70s. They have invented digital radios,secure communications and may have patents.With out a solid technology and knowledge foundation base , the products will end up with genetic defects. China ,India are trying to make a/c Engines with success eluding..so near yet so far...Neither GE nor SAFRAN have built Aero Engines like a bolt from the blue..... they have come up to this stage through sheer hard work ,dedication and investment of billions in R&D efforts. may be French are different...here in India anything "made in India" label is looked with suspicion and apply so many mil-stds and harass the designers so much so ,they try escape routes. Arjun, Tejas et al are some examples...